Automatic shuttle changing mechanism for a loom weaving with one or several shuttles



Dec. 20, 1932.

A'. PONCET l AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE OR SEVERAL SHUTTLES Filed Jan. '7, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 20, 1932. A. PoNcET 1,891,318

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE OR SEVERAL SHUTTLES FiledJan. 7. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 El r///////// /7 V{// 21 2z l* h2 54 174 bf w I Dec. 20, 1932. A PONCET 1,891,318

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE GANGING MECHANISM FOR A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE OR SEVERAL SHUTTLES Filed Jan. 7, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 yi?. vi/

Dec. 20, 1932. A. PQNCET 1,891,315

AUTMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE OR SEVERAL SHUTTLES Filedan. 7, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A ll/ l@ Dec. 20, 1932. A. PoNcET 1,891,318

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONEOR SEVERAL SHUTTLES Filed Jan. '7, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /fl l l l l r l f1 /l/l/l//l/ /l/l/l/f/ /f/ /fy/ l f,

Dec. 20, 1932. A QNCET 1,891,318

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING MEGHANISM FOR A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE OR SEVERAL SHUTTLES Filed Jan. 7, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNrrao sx1'Arasl ALBERT IKONCFJJI, QE CHAMPIER, FRANCE-.

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE'CRANGING MECHANISM FOR, A LOOM WEAVING WITH ONE CIR SEVERAL'. SHUIVTIvES' l v Applicationled'January 7", 1932; Serial'No. 585,301, andi iii-France January 14, 1931.

My. invention relates toean-zautomatic shuttle-changing; mechanism for a, loom4 weaving with one or yseveral shuttles.`

This mechanism operates: with;` weft.

5 threadfeeler and/,when the weft is exhausted 'it-stops thek looml and starts ai shuttle-changing gear which, when. its operation; is per-` fected;` re-startsi theloom;

In this mechanisimthe weft-,tecleeoperates a. selecting gear which stopsxthe loonLnotat; once but at the next passage; ofi the-exhaust@ edshuttle in the:shuttlefchangihg-box; Asfit is well knowmthe weft feelersoperatefbefore the complete exhaustion ofthewettand.

there isy no objection; in@ the shuttle being passed twice morethroughtheweb.

This mechanismyis besidesxintended: to he easily applied to existinglooms-Void oiishuttlc-changing gear. It isdevised" to beplaced laterally of the loom and with: minimum adaptation otheisame.

In the annexed drawings-:-

Fig. 1 is a profile View: ofiitlie; mechanism' when no: shuttle haste, be changed, ,the front frame beingV supposedly removed.V

Fig.2 isV aplan'` view of thesame, the. parts inferior to line X-X'ofiFig' lbeing'n'otih. lustrated for the sakeof clearness., Y

Fig-.3 is a section ot'gFig. 1 on line 2Ql X.

othe same.

Fig. 4 i'sa vertical cross-section;egF-ig.A 12 Online Y-Y of' the same..

Fig. 5 is a front View of theishuttle stock.

Fig. Gis a cross-section of thesame Online Fig. 7l is a detailed side view offtheseleet'- ingV gear74 with partszin: section.

Fig; 8- is a. front view; ofithesame.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the Same..

Figs.,10 and 11 are; side views similar to Fig. 1,v but at two-different, positions during the operation of the sliuttlechanging gear;

Figs.. 12. to 14- are diagramsshowing the.V

u canrsand. their relative position; j The mechanism illustrated'v isasupposed to be adaptedzto ay loo-m of knowntype,having two shuttles. This loom is not illustrated and only. Ythe slay has been diagrammaticallyl represented with the weft eeler.

All the part-s ot the mechanism are arranged laterallyy of theloom on the-sderopf posed to the shuttle boxes. They aresupported bythe-left frame 32 of. the-loom-and an` additionalframe 33 parallel toaiame 32.

The driving gear of the loom ismodi'ed, thefnormal clutchfbeing'replaced by. a double clutch of any description. In the example illust-rated, this clutchisof the cork typ-e. It comprises two opposed-plates 2 and:I 4, fixed on a common hub 3. Plate2 isloose onrthe driving sha-ftl of-theloom and its rimforms a pulley 5y for the drivingy vbelt not shown. Plate 4 isloose onfa hub Gkeyed on Vshaft 1, this-hub being providedwith a ballthrustbearing against which abutsa heavy helicoidal springyS. Thej latter thus presses plate 2 against a brakepulley 9 loose on. shaft 1'. A gear Wheel 10, alsoloos-e onshatt. lgisleyed with pulley 9.

Shaft, 1. also Vloosely supports a third. plate ll-,the hub- Ofrwhich-isprovidedwith a worm screw 12 cooperating with a wornrwheel. 14 keyed att the upper end of al vertical shaftgl. The lower endofthe latteris provided with a worml cooperating with a` worm wheel 17- r keyed on; a. shaft 18supported by an appropriate'bearingii'xed onto frame.

Shaft 18 is provided withtwo cams 19 and 20 ,.which are'gured side by side to an enlargedlscale-in Fig. 127 their mutual relation being thus clear.`

The shaft 22, whichvis located below .shaft l is the'picking shaft of the loom, this-shaft being rotated.- at half theA speed of shaft 1 through gears 10 and 21 as usual. Shaft 22 p is provided with a disk 23 having a notch 24. This disk isclearly shown in-Figs. 12S-and. 14, which also demonstrates its relation with-respect to the-slay and to its cooperating tooth 34a which will be further` described below. 90 As-shown, shafts, 18' and 22 are co-axial, and at an axial. distance from, each other.

When spring Sfis free from any control, it clutches plate 2` with brakepulley 9. The latter and pinion 10 are thus-connected with shaft 1 which is positively driven. Theloom is operated. Plate 11 is de-clutched and remains at standstill. Huby Sis provided with a circular groove 3a. which receives the biurcated ends of a controlling fork v251pivoted on a fixed shaft 26 provided with a controlling lever 27. The latter is connected through a vertical rod 28, with the end of one arm 29 of an horizontal double-armed lever 29-30 loose on a journal 31 fixed to frame 33.

A lever 114, pivoted to frame 33 is situated upon the free end of arm of lever 29-30. The end of lever 114 is shaped so as to form an oblique portion which may be operated by the ordinary hand de-c'lutching lever (not illustrated) .Y

A second double-armed lever 34, 35 is the essential part of this invention since it controls the stoppage of the loom and the operation of the shuttle-changing mechanism and afterwards re-starts the loom when the latter is perfected.

This lever is formed of two arms 34, 35 located in the same horizontal plane but in two different vertical planes as shown in Fig. 3. These arms have their hubs'36 keyed on a common shaft 37 which is rotatably supported by frames 32, 33. Arm 35 is situated near frame 33 and it is directed toward the front of the loom. Articulated at its end is an upwardly directed vertical rod 38 guided in guiding rings 39.- Arm 34 is loaded by a heavy helical spring 42 having its lower end attached to the frame (Fig. 1). This arm has an arcuate portion over abifurcated cam 47, 48 keyed on a shaft 43. Keyed on said shaft 43, in front of cams 19, 20 are on the one hand a cam 45 provided with a notch 46, and adapted to cooperate with a roller, 50, supported by arm 29; and on the other hand an arm 49 provided with a. front nose cooperating with notch 19a of cam 19.

Shaft 43 is provided with athird cam 51 which cooperates with the free end 52 of a semicircular jaw 53 pivoted at 54, this aw 0perating as a brake for pulley 9. Jaw 53 is loaded by a spring 56, the latter being less strong than spring` 42.

The selector device is internally supported by frame 33 high enough to permit its cooperation with the slay at the forward position thereof (Fig. 1). This device comprises a carriage 58 adapted to slide on an horizontal plate 59 supported by frame 33 and traversing the same 9) Plate 59 is provided with a guiding groove 59a which cooperates with an appropriate depending projection of carriage 58.

Carriage 58 is provided with two parallel transversal grooves in its lower face, and these grooves cooperate with two slides A and B which will be hereinafter` referred to as the selectors. The length of these selectors is greater than the width of carriage 58. They normally project from the front edge o-f the latter (Fig. 9) while being flush with the rear end of the same. Two holes 585 and 58o are provided through carriage 58, so as to cross the grooves wherein the .selectors are housed. Each one of the latter is also provided with a hole a or b located so as to be normally in front of holes 585 or 58o respectively, and to cooperate with the same and also with hole 595 of plate 59 when this selector has been brought over rod 38 and in front of a lever 105 which is intended to push the selector as it will be hereinafter explained. The selectors are adjusted within their grooves with a material friction in .such a way that they remain at any position notwithstanding the loom vibrations. This friction may also be obtained through spring brakes or the like. The holes a, b, 585, 580 and 595 are larger in section than rod 38, the-latter thus operating with a substantial clearance.

Carriage 58 is also provided with an upward projection 60 which is operated by a forked member 61 keyed on the upper end of a vertical spindle 62; the lower end 63 of the same pivots in a step-bearing 64 lixed to the frame. A lever 65 (Fig. 3) is also keyed on spindle 62 in the lower portion thereof. Articulated on lever 65 is arod 66 which is also pivoted on a vertical lever 68 (Fig. 1)

keyed on the end of a shaft which is driven from one end of the loom to the other end. The other end of this shaft is provided with the well-known square adapted to receive the action of the cam controlling the shuttle boxes. eration of this square causes shaft y67 to rotate correspondingly, lever 68 being moved through the same angle, whereby spindle 62 is rotated through rod 66.

A two-armed lever 7172 is pivoted on a shaft 73 supported by frames 32, 33 (Fig. 1). This lever is vertical and its lower arm 72 is provided with a slit whereby it is connected with the rear end of rod 66; the upper arm 1t will be easily grasped that the opi 71 is pivoted to an horizontal lever 74, the 353 other end of which is provided with an elongated arcuate opening 77 adapted toreceive a pin 76 which projects from a lever 78 pivoted at 85. The latter is intended to bring` a shuttle from the shuttle stocks 101 and 102. For

this purpose, the upper end of said lever is provided with a plate adapted to receive a fresh shuttle. This plate could also be independent from lever 78 and arranged slidable in appropriate oscillatable guiding meml bers, which would be controlled by lever 8. Lever 78 is provided with projecting pins V7 9, 80, suitably located. Pin 79 cooperates with the forked end 87 ofan oblique lever 86 articulated at the free end of a lever 88 keyed li' adapted to permanently contact cam. 20 through a roller arranged at its free end. There also keyed on the same I a. lever to which is articulated a rod 92 connected tothe arm93 of a bell-cranked lever 95 pvoted at 94 on the-slay 115 a lever 90a lel to lever 90 and inthe same horizontal plane, but in a different vertical planein such a way that a pin 55 fixed near the free end thereof can be situated over the rear end 116 of a lever 118 oscillatahly supported. `by `a fixed shaft 119, the front end of said lever lying under the lower end of a rod 120 laterally supported by. lever 78. Rod 120v is. ar-

7 ranged slidable on lever Z 8 and it is adapted to control through its'upperend, a finger 121 (Figs. 5 and 6) arranged on the left side of plate 100v and in a: vertical plane corresponding to two rods 130 rand 131 dependingy along the .left walls of shuttlestocks 101 and 102 (Fig. 6).. Finger 121 isfpivoted on the upper end of lever 7 8 and it is also pivotally connected with rod 120'; its free end is brought under one of rods 130, 131 according tothe position of lever 7 8 as it will be hereinafter explained.

The shuttle stocks are, as a whole, fixed over the breast beam of the loom, at, the opposed sidel thereof with respect to the shuttle boxes, over the fresh-shuttle-receiving plate and in front of the lateral opening provided in the slay and closed by the crankedlever 95. Each shuttle stock is divided by two partitions: a transverse one 129 and?V a longitudinal one 129e. Thereis thus formed the stock proper 101 or 102 and a housing for the shuttle distributing gear; The. latter comprises the depending rod 130 or 131. which is pivotally attachedv toan arm 132 integral with a lever 133 oscillatable onl a fixed shaft.. Attached tothe free ends of lever. 133 areJ two rods 134 and 135,.unequal in length. The latter are respectively connectedwith: two levers 136 which drive rollers 1351"having'a` peripherical V-shaped notch 138. These` notched rollers are located at thel ends oftheY stock, partitions 129 and 129e being apertured to accommodate saidrollers which are appropriately devised so as to be freely' rotatable on their respective shafts. Lever 133.1is loaded by a spring 139,whereby itsllowerend'abuts against the left wall of the shuttle stock. Rods 134 and 135 thus maintain rollers 1137 at the position shown Fig. 5, the lowershuttle of the stack being supported by its ends.

The cranked lever 95 is arranged.. on the slay in such a way that its front arm closes the front opening thereof, as it is well-known in the art. For this purpose, a spring 89a is provided to press lever 89l against cam 20. The slay is also provided with a fixed longitudinal. shaft 99 rotatably supporting two independent vertical forks 98, each having a tail 97 which is passed through an appropriate vertical slit provided in the front arm, of

lever 95, this slit being closed by a pin96. Forks98 are disposed in such a way thatv their lower ends are in cooperative position with the working shuttle whenv the latter has been stopped by the bulfers. v

There is also provided a part which is only controlled by the weft feeler when. the pirn is nearly exhausted, said part inturn operating the selector corresponding toI the working shuttle. This part comprises two levers. 104 and 105 keyed by screws at a predetermined interval on. a common horizontal shaft 103 rotatably supported by the frames. The position: of this gearing is dependent of the type of weft-feeler employed- Inthe case illustrated, the weft feeler is a vertical rod T having an horizontal nose t projecting towards the front end of the loom (Fig. This rod T is sunk into the shuttleby any appropriate means, its lower end. contacting the pirn C.

Lever 104 is curved. at right angle; its end projects towards the slay and is at such .a height that it may cooperate with. nose t when the pirn isexhausted, as shown indotted lines Fig. 7..

Lever is arranged to vertically depend vexactly in front of selector A when shuttle A cranked lever is located betweenrods 38 and 62.. This leverl is pivoted on a fixed shaft and it is loaded by a spring'140 which presses it against a stop 141. The lower end of lever 110 is bifurcated and accommodates rodi 38.. The latter is provided with two 1.11 and 1112,A ixcd by screws :at predetermined placesA and adapted: to respective- 1y cooperate with the lower arm of lever 110 and withcatch 106 as it willbe described.

F ig; V1 shows the mechanism during the normal operation` of the'l loom. Plate 11 is cle-clutched and pulley 9 is clutched with plate 2' through hub 6 which driv-es shaft 1. Shaft 22' is also rotated and the loom oper# ates as long as it is not willingly stopped; and as long as there remains weft on the pirns.

To stopv the loom, the operator acts on the hand de-clutching lever which lowers lever 114 of a pre-determined amount andv thus oscillates lever 29, 30?- for exactly the-angle required to move lever 25 and to impart to hub 3' exactlyk the. axial displacement where,- by plates 2 and 4 arede-clutched at. the same time. Y

Vhen the loomfis clutched, Fig.' 1,. the shuttle having weft in-` suiiicient quantity. as shown in dotted. lines in Fig. 1 and in' full lines in Fig. 7 ,nose t is always over the end of lever 104 as clearly illustrated in full lines,

F ig. 7.

llhen the weft is nearly exhausted,` as shown in dotted lines, Fig. {,tlie weft feeler isl at itsvlowermost position and' nose t abuts the end of lever 104the shaft 103i ofy which is v-rotated in proportion; lever 105 is also operated and vit pushes selector A for the same length. The motion of the latter is so calculated that hole ajis brought exactly coaxial with holes 58?) of plate 59 and 582) of carriage 58.

Selector A remains, at this position, but levers 105. and 104 returnto their normal position when the slay returns backward. Lever 34--35 cannot then oscillate since tooth 34a is not over notch 24 of disk 23. The latter is adjusted on the picking shaft 22 in such a way that notch 24 is at the upper part of disk 23 (i. e. under tooth 34a) only when the slay is returning backward,`slightly before the right-to-left stroke of the operating shuttle (Fig. 14). rfhus, notch 24 and tooth 34a are in cooperative relation just before the operation of the weft feeler, but they are lout of cooperative relation when the latter operates. j The loom is consequently not stopped and the shuttle is returned to the right. But at the .next stroke (from right to left) of the same shuttle, tooth 34a passes over notch 24 and lever 34-35 can oscillate under the action of spring 42, since the uprer end of rod 38 finds its way through the superposed holes 596, a and 58?).

This oscillation of lever 34, 35 has the following consequences:

Firstly, .pulley 9V is braked and picking shaft 22 is stopped; pulley 5 is clutched (through plate 4) with plate 11 and thus shaft 18 with cams 19, 20 is rotated. This shaft controls the shuttle changing operation which comprises: rejecting the exhausted shuttle, extracting a fresh shuttle from the shuttle stock, inserting the same into the slay. cle-clutching plate 11, releasing pulley 9 and clutching pulley 9 to re-start the loom.

It will be hereinafter supposed that box No'. 1 is in operation; consequently shaft 67 (which is controlled by the box selecting gear) is at its first position as well as lever 68, as shown in Fig. 1.

1. Lever 7l, 72 is oblique and has brought lever 74 into such a position that the end of slit 77 has pulled lever.7 8 through pin 76, pin 80 having passed over notch 107of catch 106, whereby lever 78 is maintained at its first position, plate 100 being exactly under shuttle stock 101 in 'which are stacked the shuttles No. 1. f

2. The pre-determined rotation of fork 61 under the action of rod 66 through lever 65 and spindle 62 isso calculated that the resulting motion of carriage 58 brings selector A in front of lever 105 as shown in full lines, Figs. 7 to 9. 1

Arm 34 also acts on the end 47 of cam 47- 48v and thus rotates the latter together with cams 45 and 51 and lever 49, through shaft 43. The arrow, Fig. 10, shows the direction of this rotation. As a result of such a rotation,

arm 29 of lever 29-30 is moved upwardly through'roller 50 andcam 45 and also cam 51 frees the end 52 of brake 53 and the latter, under the action of spring 56, stops pulley-9. Also rod 28 is pushed upwardly and fork 25 moves hub 3 against the action of spring 8, whereby plate 2 is de-clutched from pulley 9 and plate 4 is clutched with plate 11. The loom is stopped almost instantaneously, the slay being justat its rearmost position when the standstill is obtained.v Y

lOwing to th-e partial rotation of shaft 43, the end of arm 49 escapes `from notch 19a of cam- 19. Also lever 88 is rotated and operates lever 86 the forked end 87 of which is thus brought near pin 7 9fof lever 78, as shown, Fig. 10. i

Plate llvbeing clutched with pulley 5, shaft 18 is rotated at a very low .speed through gears 12, 14, 16' and 17. The speed of said shaft may be, for instance, the twelfth'of that of-shaft 1.

During this rotation,cam 20 drives the roller of lever 89 keyed on shaft 91; levers 90 and 90a are thus lowered; lever 90 pulls rod 92 which operates lever 95; the latter opens the lateral opening of the slay (Fig. 11) and drives forks 98 through tails 95. The shuttle N is thus rejected from the slay and is received into an appropriate receiver.

Lever 90a, through pin 55, operates the tail 116 of lever 118 and the latter operates rod 120 whereby finger 121 is moved upwardly. Finger 121, in turn, operates rod 130fof shuttle stock 101. Lever 1.33 is thus rotated for a determined angle and it drives rods 134, 13,5 sufliciently to free the first shuttle which was supported inthe notches 138 of rollers 137 and also to retain the further shuttles. When finger 121 is restored to its normal position, rollers 137 receive into notches 138 the ends of the last shuttle of the stock, as it will be easily grasped from Fig. 5.

The first shuttle N 101 falls on plate 100.

The action of cam 19 then begins. Arm 49 is rotated, whereby lever 88 drives lever 86 which in turn drives lever 78 for an angle calculated so that plate 100 penetrates into the slay as shown in Fig. 11.

Cam 20 then releases somewhat lever 89, whereby lever is returnedbackward for a limited amount; shuttle N 101 is thus retained within the slay when plate returns with lever-78.

A. When the peak of cam 19 is under the end of arm 49 (position of Fig. v11) the end 48 of; cam 47-48 operates arm 34 of lever 34-35 which rotates clockwise. Arm 35 is thus lowered.

B. Owing to the lowering of arm 35, rod 38 isalso lowered and clears the holes of the selecting gear. Ring 112 frees catch 106 and ring 111 strikes the forked end of lever 110 which in turn strikes by inertia selector A against the action of yspring V140. Selector A is restored to its former position (Figs. 1 and 7 -9) whereby rod 38 is prevented from again rising. As a result thereof, lever 3-35 is locked at the position of Fig. 1.

Arm 49 then rota-tes anticloclrwise under the action of spring 88a. Cams 45, 51 and L17--48 are thus progressively restored to their normal position of Fig. l. TWhen the end of arm is in front of notch 19a, it falls thereinto. Pin also falls into the notch of cam 45, so that arm 29 of lever 29-30 is lowered, whereby plate 11 is cle-clutched and pulley 9 is clutched. The loom is re-started.

The mechanism is thus ready for a further operation when the weft of one or of the other shuttle will be exhausted, the shuttles being operative in regular or irregular succession according to the Weave.

Vhen the shuttle No. 2 operates, the. shuttle box controlling gear drives shaft 67 and lever 68, the latter causing lever 71-72 to come into the position shown by the dashed lines in Fig. 1. Lever 7e is thus moved forward so that slit 77 permits pin 80 to move forward (with respect to the loom). Plate 100 may thus be brought under shuttle stock 102.

On the other hand, rod 66 is pulled by lever 68 and spindle 62 is thus rotated, whereby carriage 58 is moved toward frame 33 so that selector B will come in front of lever 105. It will thus be understood that when the weft will be exhausted in shuttle No. 2, the mechanism will operate as in the case above described, lever 78 being at its second position (notch 108 of catch 106).

The mechanism may be used with looms having more than two shuttle boxes. Carriage 58 will be provided, for instance, with four selectors corresponding to four shuttle boxes; there would be used four shuttle stocks; catch 106 wouldl be provided with four notches; slit 77 and lever 86 should be modified accordingly.

The shuttle-changing operation takes pla-.ce not when the feeler has detected the weft exhaustion, but at the next passage of the exhausted shuttle. Since the weft feelers operate well before the complete exhaustion of the pirn, there is no objection to such an oper- 0 ation. Supposing that shuttle No. 2 is exhausted, it will nevertheless be. returned into its box. If now shuttle 1 is to work, the mechanism will not operate since rod 38 will be under selector A which has not been pushed by the weft feeler. The operation will take place only when shuttle No. 2 will again work, selector B having beenvpushed by the prior action of the weft feeler.

In order to permit the shuttleto be well rejected from the slay, the ordinary shuttle buffer is to be supported by a cranked lever loaded by a spring so as to constantly contact the picking stick. Said lever is to be connected with rod 92 so that the buffer may clear the Shuttle during the rejection thereof.

`One characteristic feature Of'this invention is that the parts are supported a iframe which -can be joined to the frame of a'standard loom onthe side opposed 'to the shuttle-boxes. Any kind of loom may be equipped with the mechanism according to the invention.

T he devi-ce permits to increase Ptlrefspeecl'of the looms weavi-ng'w-i-th severalshuttle's, thus increasingthe output. The automat-ic operation permits of reducing the attention of the operator who may simultaneously attend to a number of looms greater than without the iinvent-ion. Y

I claim:

l. A shuttle-changing mechanism for looms operating with several shuttles, comprising in combination a selector device adapt-ed to be selectively actuated by Lthe-weftf'eelerof the loom when the p-ir'n is-'exhafusted said weft feeler being lon the side of the loo'm opposed to the shuttle boxes; means adapted to reject the exhausted -shuttle from'the slay; a plurality of shuttle stocks on the side `of the loom opposed to the shuttle boxes; means Y adapted to each one of said 'stocks to extract but one shuttle therefrom; a shuttle carrier adapted 'to selectively receive the fresh Ish-uttle extracted from one of said stocks; means on said carrier, to selectively operate 'sa-id shuttle-extracting means; a control mechanism rvresponsive to the shuttle box control,

to drive said shuttle carrier in accordance therewith so that it cooperates With'the stock corresponding to the shuttle operation in the loom; means to move said shuttle carrier" so that it brings the fresh 'shuttle into the slay; a cam gearing adapted, when in operation, to drive all the aforesaid means in appropriate succession; a double clutchro'- tated by the general drive of the loom, said double clutch being able 4to rotate 'either the loom proper or said cam gearing; braking means adapted to stop the Iloom when it is cle-clutched from said double clutch; a cam gear continuously driven by the loom; and 'a spring gear, retained simultaneously byV said v` last-named cam gear and by said selector device, lsaid spring-gear being adapted, ywhen freed, to actuate sa-id double clutch so as to stop the loom and rotate said first-named cam gearing, the latter being arranged to reload said spring gear and also to restore said double clutch into its normal weaving position when the shuttle changing operation is perfected; and said second-named camv gear being so adjusted with respect to the loom, that it frees said spring gea-r only during a short period of time and slightly before the operation of the weft feeler.

2. In a shuttle-changingr mechanism as claimed in claim 1, means whereby the reloading of the spring gear restores the selector device to its normal position.

3. In a shuttle-changing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, a selector device comprising a movable carriage; slides on said carriage; meanswhereby each slide may be pushed bythe weft feeler for an appropriate position of said carriage; means whereby a slide, when pushed, frees the spring gear which controls said mechanism; and means responsive to the shuttle box control, whereby said carriage is driven in such a Way that each slide corresponds to a shuttle of the loom and is brought in operative relation with said weft feeler wheneversaid shuttle is in operation. n

4. In a shuttle-changing mechanism as claimed in claim 1 means to extract the last shuttle of a shuttle stock wherein the shuttles are vertically stocked, comprising a pair of notched rollers, the notches of which are adapted to receive and retain the ends of the last shuttle; spring means to retain said rollers; and means to rotate the same in inverted direction whereby said lastshuttle is lowered and dropped, while, the preceding one is retained by the unnotohed portion of said rollers.

5. In ka shuttle-changing mechanism as claimed in claim l, a shuttle carrier and control therefor comprising a lever pivoted to the frame on the loom; a shuttle supporting plate at the free end of saidlever; a spring acting on said lever so as to drive it into its rontmost position, said plate then being under,V the rontmost shuttle stock, a driving means adapted to actuate said lever against the action of said spring, that is rearwardly with respect to the loom, the connection between said means and said lever being unidirectional, that is, permitting any rearward motion of said lever irrespective of the actual position of said means; and means driven by l the cam gearing of said mechanism, said means being adapted to drive said lever rearwardly, whereby said shuttlesupporting plate brings Vthe fresh shuttle into the slay;

V6. A shuttle-changing mechanism as j, claimed in claim 1, wherein the cam gear continuously driven by the loom is a notched disk keyed on the pickngshaft of said loom.

' In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. Y

ALBERT PONCET. 

